Side's stories
by Xiuzou
Summary: Short stories focused on some of the side characters.
1. Chapter 1: Ebata

"This place. They've begun to grow up." A voice says as he walks inside the empty apartment; only his footsteps echoing in the nothingness. "Well. I shall get it ready for if they return."

He began by dusting the place top to bottom, sweeping and vacuuming until not a speck remained in sight. He was happy with what he did for the day, so he excused himself and went to his job after feeding the fish.

He returned the next day, now going into the individual rooms, starting with the one with five bars. Inside was a tidy and well organized bedroom, a desk that was cleared of anything except for the lamp that lit up the empty furniture. He smiled at first, until he noticed something unsightly in a dark corner near a trash bin. This room had been infested with bugs, including a line of ants and a few roaches; all of which made the trash filled with empty food wrappers and fruit peels their targets. He waged war with his exoskeletal foe for the day, feeding the fish as he cleaned the room and made the bed. Just in case, he'd set up a few counter measures in case the enemy would return. He excused himself and went to his job.

The next day was much tamer, the room with four bars was kept spick and span by it's inhabitant. The only thing that he needed to worry about was watering the plants. He made note to check on them frequently as he fixed the bed inside. He was much faster with this room, so he went on to the one with three bars. Again, this room was spotless, the only thing that concerned him was a small container labelled "Matcha" on the desk that the owner left; luckily it was empty so it didn't cause the same problem as the fifth door. He took it out to clean it, leaving to get a refill for it and placing it back.

The day after was also simpler, all he did was fluff the pillows and make the bed. Though simple, it was tedious, as the owner of this room had an abundance of things on their bed. Once that was done, he cleaned the clutter on the floor, stopping and looking at an old photo album before he put it in a drawer.

Then he moved on, with dread filled steps, towards the last room he'd yet looked at. Inside the final room was his nightmare. Clothes strewn and hanging everywhere, you could barely see the wall with how much fabric lined the walls. The floor was no different, with every step he took nearly causing him to slip on an article of clothing. He waged this war for so long that he was almost late to his job. He only barely made it on time, even with him only barely shoving the last of the clothes into a basket for a later time. This war wasn't over.

He returned to the battlefield that evening, the prisoners of war ready for their execution. He dragged their cell to their graveyard, the washing machine. One by one, shirt by shirt, they went in. He was meticulous, yet it only took him two minutes to sort everything from all five rooms. Once the laundry was done, he neatly folded them, sorting them yet again by which room they were from. This was his life for a time, working tirelessly for the inhabitants of an empty house.

"Yes. Young miss Ichika?"

"Ebata-san. Our apartment told us to move out. Can we come back?"

"Any time. I will be graciously waiting your safe return."


	2. Chapter 2: Tsubaki

"So we're in the same class again Tsubaki-chan." A blonde boy says, taking his seat on the first day of class. "Are you still part of the broadcasting club?"

"Takeda-kun. Are you asking for another interview?" A girl with light colored hair tied into a side-tail. "You'll get one after I get the Nakano-sans to agree to one. Imagine the look on everyone's face when they see that five people all..."

"Tsubaki-chan. Don't you think that they're quite busy already?" Takeda points to the five redheads sitting in a row. The girls in question seemed to be murmuring to each other, their faces full of worry over something. "On the other hand, we have other things to worry about right now. We still have to decide the class reps." He flips his hair back.

"Acting confident again. Though I doubt you'll lose." Takeda lost. In the end, the class reps were Uesugi-kun and one of the Nakano-sans.

"Tsubaki-san, can you call Yotsuba-san. I need to talk with her." Their teacher says as she leaves the room for recess. She walks out with her friend, both looking up and down the halls for red hair.

* * *

"Aaah! That's her! So this is where you were."

"Yotsuba-Chan!"

"Sensei is asking for you." She and her friend walked up to a black haired boy and...Yotsuba? She seemed sad, or at least uncomfortable. "Come on, let's go."

"This way." The two of them take Yotsuba by the arm and start walking away when...

"That's not Yotsuba. That's Miku, the third daughter." The black haired boy said. The two of them check again, finally noticing that the boy was the male rep Uesugi.

"Huh?" Tsubaki lets go of Miku.

"Really!?"

"Sorry...we still haven't memorized your faces yet."

"It's no problem. I'm used to it." Miku hung her head, raising her hand to not hurt their feelings.

* * *

"Ah! It's definitely Yotsuba-chan this time!"

"Heeey, sensei's..."

"That's another miss!" Fuutarou explodes at them.

"Geez~ They all have the same face so I can't tell~" Tsubaki laughs, feeling slightly embarrassed. Fuutarou steps up to this quintuplet.

"Listen! If you find this situation annoying, memorize their accessories! Like these completely unfashionable hair pins! That's how I do it!" Fuutarou yells, pointing at Nakano's hair.

"You're saying some rude things all of a sudden..." She says, an unamused look on her face as she stares at the class rep.

"For Yotsuba, it's those ribbons that stick out like a sore thumb! Remember that and you can't go wrong!" He sighs.

Tsubaki and her friend look at each other, murmuring something. "You don't think..."

"Maybe..." They turn to look at him. "Uesugi-san, that's amazing!"

"Thank you!"

"This was so unexpected that I was stunned! You really do look at the Nakanos properly! As expected of the class representative!" Her friend says. Tsubaki catches Fuutarou murmuring something while he fixed his hair. "Teach us more about those five!"

"Huh?" Fuutarou, irritated, was grabbed by them as they ushered him away to another quintuplet.

"Come with us, there's one more person over there." Tsubaki pushed him. "Heey, Yotsuba-chan!"

"No, that's Nino!" Fuutarou seemed to give up his resistance.

* * *

"Uesugi-san. You're so good at this." Tsubaki said as Yotsuba walked away from them, towards the teacher's lounge. "And it sounds like you're used to them."

"Well...those five are my..." He covers his mouth before he finished his thought.

"You know, now that I think about it. You were the only one that wasn't asking them questions in the class earlier." She notes. "Do you hang out with them often? You can tell them apart without a second glance."

"You could say that. It's more like I had no choice but to learn how to tell them apart." Fuutarou sighs as they spot Takeda walk into his father's office. "...Those idiots."

"Uesugi-san. How are they like? I want to interview them for the broadcasting club, so can you ask them for me?" Tsubaki claps her hands together. "Pretty please!"

"Ask them yourself. Ichika would probably agree to it."

"Which one is she?"

"Short hair and a piercing on her right ear."

"Thank you Uesugi-san! I'll try to tell them apart next time." Tsubaki and him part ways for the rest of the break.

* * *

It's been a few days since then, the class seemed to have adjusted to the quintuplets. Tsubaki held her head high, being able to tell Miku and Itsuki apart from the others because of their hair. "Yotsuba-san's nomination. Then Uesugi-san's reaction when we talked about the Nakanos. It must be the case." She murmurs to Matsui, leaning over her seat.

"That might be the case." Matsui replies, putting her finger to her chin. "Uesugi-san and Yotsuba-san wouldn't make a bad couple."

"They're definitely going out!" Tsubaki exclaims. "There's no other way they'd be this close. It's not like he's being paid by them or anything." Like a little girl watching an idol on stage, Tsubaki's face smiles wide.

Word spreads like mad, easily making its way to all of the third years. "You might be right..." Matsui points over to Fuutarou after gym class, Yotsuba comes to assist him.

"This is amazing! They look so good together!" By the end of the day, the rumor was killed. Yotsuba herself denied it, and she seemed serious and slightly saddened by it. "Awww man!"

* * *

"Tsubaki-chan. It's been a while since we had a talk, hasn't it?" Takeda walks out of the director's office, bumping into Tsubaki as lunch break was coming to a close.

"It has! How've you been. We usually talk after school, but I haven't seen you after school for weeks." Tsubaki slaps his back gently. "Where've you been?"

"Well, I've been preparing for something. Something that'll finally let me best hi-"

"Oh you and your petty rivalry."

"P-Petty!?" Takeda is taken aback. "I'll have you know that Uesugi-kun and I have been battling for years now. Why, I'm sure he's quaking in his boots!"

"Yeah, yeah sparkles. Whatever you say!" Tsubaki sticks her tongue out teasingly.

"You and your teasing tails. This time will be different. This time Uesugi-kun will notice me." Takeda claps his hands together, fantasizing about something. "Notice me, Uesugi..." Tsubaki chuckles at his display.

"Well, good luck with that. Uesugi-san seems busy with the Nakanos. He must be studying with them for the mock exams." Tsubaki ponders. The next days were quite...interesting. Fuutarou always came to class with a menacing aura around him, like he was telling everyone to leave him alone. In the end, the national mock exams came and went without worry.

"Huh? Uesugi-san fell asleep?"

"Yeah. Even still, he beat my score. I'm impressed." Takeda sits with her after class, leaning against the trunk of a tree.

"You and him have gotten quite close." Tsubaki looked up at the branches. "Good job Yuusuke. Even if you didn't beat him, top 10 is amazing." Tsubaki stood up.

"Don't you want an interview with either of us. As far as I'm aware, you haven't asked him for one." Takeda looks up at her.

"Not this time. This time, I'm happy that you've done this." She walks away. "I'm proud of you."

* * *

"Kyoto, huh? I bet you and Maeda-kun are going to hit all the picture spots." Tsubaki smiles at Matsui, who looks away a little dejected.

"Actually, he's already got a group. So I can't..."

"Then you can go with us! We'll have so much fun!" Tsubaki takes her hands.

The two of them follow Maeda's group around, noticing that Maeda occasionally sneaks off on his own. "Do you think...do you think that I should tell him soon?"

Sidetail-chan turns excitedly. "Why not on tomorrow? I heard he's going to the movie course or something. He might wear a costume or something."

"A costume? Alright. I'll confess to him before we go back."

"Yess girl! I'll take pictures!"

"Don't watch us! It's supposed to be private!" Matsui blushes, hiding her face in a pillow of their hotel room. There was a knock on the door, a drenched Uesugi was waiting on the other side.

"Do you two have your courses for tomorrow yet?"


	3. Chapter 3: Maeda&Matsui

"I'll be going. I think I'll be able to get into the one I want now." Takeda walks over, getting an umbrella from his bag. "You should go too, before the rain gets rougher. Don't you think so?" He turns to wave at the others, a boy and a girl.

"Takeda. Don't worry about us, ya punk. Just get home, I heard a storm is coming." Maeda stands up to talk to him. "Matsui and I are gonna put in some extra hours for the prospect test."

"Are you two aiming for the same university?"

"Yeah. I'm following her." Maeda whispers into his friend's ear.

"Are you sure about this? What about your own future?"

"..."

* * *

The rain, as predicted, poured on and on. The sheets of water becoming thick enough to obscure vision out the windows of the library. "Ugh! I'm beat. How are you not tired?" Maeda looks up across the table, Matsui hunched over a pair of open books and dragging her finger on a page. "You must really want to go to that university, huh?"

"Of course I do. I've wanted to go there since I was little." Her eyes looked back at him, the light of the sun that vanished in the storm shone through them. "Thanks for staying with me today, Mae-kun." She smiled at him before returning to her studies.

"Yeah." Maeda shut his own references. "My own future?"

"You okay?" He finds his personal space violated as Matsui leans towards him, her face just a few inches away from his. "Maybe we should head home."

"If you want to."

"Sheesh. How unmanly." She huffs, packing her things as the two of them stand by the door. "Let's go."

* * *

The sound of rain hitting their umbrella sounded like bullets, Maeda felt like he was getting shot as Matsui stared at him with a troubled face of her own. "Wanna grab something to eat? Maybe wait for the rain to ease up?"

"Fine, I guess." Her voice was distant, lost in her thoughts. "How about curry or something?"

They stop by a nearby shop, it wasn't packed. The orange lights were warm as the smell of food entered their noses. Matsui sat at a table while Maeda stood around in a daze. "Should I talk with her about it?" He thinks as he's bumped into by another customer. "Hey! Watch it punk!"

"How bout you watch it? What're you doing standing in the doorway!?" The other customer retorts as Matsui steps between the two of them.

"Maeda. Sit down. Not here, okay?"

"...Alright."

"Yeah! Let your girlfriend save you!" Maeda's veins begin to bulge as he clenches his fist. Matsui takes his hand in hers.

"Maeda."

"Sorry."

"Just ignore him." The two sit down, Maeda still staring at the punk. "Unmanly." She mutters under her breath before they order.

* * *

"Hey, Matsui." Maeda says as Matsui was about to put a spoonful of curry into her mouth. "Is it okay if I..."

"You?"

"If I don't go to the same university as you? Of course I still want to be with you but..."

"I...understand. Let me think about it."

"I know I'm being selfish but."

"I said I understand. Now let's just eat." She says, though her tone had no irritation. "So that's why you were so out of it, huh?"

"You could tell?"

"You always make that scary face when you think about something too much."

Maeda gasped, touching his cheeks and trying to look _normal_. They finish their food as the rain keeps assaulting the earth outside. "Should we call a cab? It's not safe to walk."

"My house isn't far, we can make it." Matsui took his hand, leading him outside as he opened the umbrella they had and nearly had it blown away.

* * *

"Matsui...do you have an answer?"

"No. Not yet." Matsui's voice was gloomy, pondering the question from earlier. "What will you do if I tell you to stay with me?"

"I." He stopped as Matsui moved to block his path, looking up at him from under the umbrella.

"You have that scary face again." She said. "So, do **you** have an answer?" He takes a few more seconds before shaking his head. "Unmanly."

"Unmanly!? What do you mean!?" Maeda clenches his fist. "I know you joke around by calling me that, but this is serious!" His arm sways and falls to his side as his brows furrow. "This is hard for me to do, you know! I don't want to choose between you or myself, but I have to!" He drops the umbrella, which had filled with water.

"Maeda. That's it, I've decided now." Matsui stepped closer. "This time, I'll follow you."

"What!? Matsui?" Maeda snapped out of his outburst. "What about...didn't you say that you wanted this since you were little?"

"I did."

"Didn't you say you were going to think it over?"

"I have."

"Why?"

"Because...I wasn't going to give up my dream for some pushover punk that couldn't make up his mind." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Because those people are unmanly." The storm grew harsher as a flash of lightning lit up the sky, silhouetting the two's kiss with a brilliant purple light. "I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

_**A/N**_: Been in a funk recently, but wanted to put this out before I forget about it. Hopefully I can get out of it soon by writing my ass off. I've taken too many breaks and I need to warm up again. Also, who should be next? Gramps, Kiku, or the managers (cake shop and bakery)


End file.
